By: Blonde One
I have a very, very important question for you, Mr or Mrs Map Maker …
How long does it take for a new road network to be charted on a map?
The planning has begun in earnest (we’re a bit behind schedule this year) for our Bronze DofE expedition. The area that we use has been the subject of massive upheaval through roadworks, re-routing and building, and our paper maps are a bit in need of updating. I’ve been hoping that the new roads would appear in time for our expedition but so far they’re not there.
Copyright Ordnance Survey 2016
This 1:50000 online screenshot (thanks OS) shows roughly where a part of the road now runs but we need loads more detail than the 1:25000 is giving us.
Copyright Ordnance Survey 2016
So … when will we get new information? Should you need two very willing volunteers to help you with this mission, please feel free to call on the Two Blondes!
That new road looks as though it’s going through some challenging contours for a road. I wonder if they are making cuttings?
There are lots of massive cuttings!
Funny it’s not up to date – it’s on the Google overlay but not the satellite photo. My friend did the sat nav mapping for it – driving round and round every exit/entry to get it mapped for one of the big sat nav providers (don’t remember which, I don’t own one and never will!).
Be careful when posting OS map excerpts. 1:50 000 is OK up to a max limit. However, reproducing 1:25 000 requires an OS license
OS allows up to 100 images in a 1:50 000 (Landranger) scale, free of charge, on a website.
However for the 1:25 000 scale you will need to obtain an OS publishing licence unless you have one already? An OS copyright statement does not replace the license requirement.
https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/business-and-government/licensing/licences/publishing.html
We’ve had to remove 1:25 000 excerpts from our site to stay within the law. Don’t want you upsetting OS already!
Cheers Al. You are right of course, it is an interesting issue for bloggers, one which I believe Ordnance Survey are trying to firm up. At the moment we have an arrangement with them because of our Get Outside Champion status. When that ends, we will have to rethink and probably do some removing. There is no doubt that being able to show map snippets enhances writing about the outdoors. A shame that you had to remove yours, maybe OS should consider different levels of licenses for charities.
Glory be! Isn’t copyright law complicated? Perhaps you should set up in opposition to all the map-making companies and develop Blonde maps – you could have all dimpsy places in pink, all bogs in deepest mud brown, all hidden jelly-babies in yellow, and all the very few places you haven’t yet walked in pale, mysterious blue. Then you could mark purveyors of cheesy chips in bright purple and Blonde-approved campsites in scarlet. Does the law mean that later on, every time you want to use a map you will have to look at past posts and find a map to delete?
Oh my goodness … we have to create this map! It is a most marvellous idea!
Mm interesting comments. Just playing devil’s advocate here. If OS is solely owned by the general public of the UK as per Wikipedia says, and therefore you and me pay for everything, why do we need a licence for 1:25000 but not for 1:50000 if we live in UK.
Well I would suppose you could argue that those of us who like maps should pay extra for them and everybody else should just pay a little bit. Just like those of us who like National Parks should help towards their upkeep.
I think if you are making money from ,3rd party mapping then a licence is reasonable. But UK Joe Public who just blog a map per post should be able to use mapping for free.
I donate to some mapping internet companies so i suppose i am helping the OS twice. Maybe i should stop donating?
I do disagree that if you like maps you should pay more. Surely if you buy more maps then you are paying more anyway.
Maybe our opinion on this will change when we do have to pay for an OS license. At the moment I think we pay a fair price for a quality product.
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